Christiansted businesses....

....don't complain this summer when there are no tourists, no cruisers and fewer locals. Today, town is full of tourists and barely anything is open. Can anyone really afford not to be open on a weekday on one of the last weekends of season? I have family visiting who would have spent money today if shops were open. And I'm sure alot of the people sitting in the restaurants would be spending too..

Re: Christiansted businesses....

Maybe because I'm not religious I dont consider good Friday in the same order of magnitude as Christmas or thanksgiving holidays. And all the restaurants are open, all the dive shops and some jewelry shops. So I really dont consider this "holiday" to be much of an excuse to close given that slow season is almost here and half the island seems to be clearing out! Take what you can get at this point ...whatever. We'll just patronize those who are open.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

Quotems411
Some people worship something other than the dollar, and today is an opportunity for them to practice their religious beliefs. One day will probably not make or break a business.

Surely your peeps can shop on another day.

I'm not a complete sceptic but, in my experience, the majority of workers who are off on Good Friday (or any other religious holiday for that matter) can more often be found on the beach or in a bar than in a place of worship. As far as businesses or restaurants closing on ANY day that a cruise ship is in and particularly on hard-hit St Croix, that's simply counterproductive at best. They're the owners who are going to be wailing in a few months time ...

Re: Christiansted businesses....

I've been here 10 years--I Just have never considered good Friday to be a major, store closing holiday. I also live in Frederiksted, so I come east rarely and obviously have never tried to shop on good Friday either. And holiday or not, why wouldn't you open as much as possible in these economic times? There is no law that says you have to close on a government holiday.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

Good Friday and Passover. High holy day and business holiday. Spend the day with your loved ones. Take a walk. Sit on beach. Cook a meal with friends. Play cards with your kids. Live. love, enjoy, appreciate. You can shop tomorrow.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

one time when we went out to eat on good friday, they didn't serve alcohol. it upset a friend of ours. no big deal to me,but just another quirk of living here. If i were a business owner downtown, i too would want to be open for most of the local holidays. not sure how many employees would show up though. i remember when office max first opened, right at the carnival in december, only a few employees showed up even though they were scheduled to work. they were letting people in a few at a time. its just how it is here.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

Quotespeee1dy
how long have you lived here. you know that most businesses close for ALL holidays.

I'm assuming that was directed to me. 28 years. No, most businesses don't close for ALL holidays. Most businesses in the service sector which rely on tourism - as well as supermarkets - are open on holidays.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

I don't know about St. Thomas, but tourist dependent retail businesses on St. John are all open for business today, Good Friday. Most only close for a full day on December 25th. Perhaps St. Croix is simply a more devout Christian island than St. John or St. Thomas. What else could it be?

Re: Christiansted businesses....

Quotespeee1dy
one time when we went out to eat on good friday, they didn't serve alcohol. it upset a friend of ours.

Good Friday is the one day of the year when the sale of distilled alcohol is prohibited in stores and restaurants/bars throughout the USVI between 9AM and 4PM. One of those quirky little things and it's widely advertised in the preceding days every year.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

Most of the retail stores on STT were open today, but some restaurants/bars were closed, because they're NOT SUPPOSED TO SERVE ALCOHOL. Note the wording I specifically used. That's all I'm saying.

Very few of the stores in the tourist areas close on holidays when there are ships at the dock.

I think the ships may have discouraged people from getting off the ship, because I'm sure they were able to serve alcohol. There weren't many people in town, but The Butterfly Garden seemed to have a good crowd this morning. That attraction would appeal to those who don't want to eat or drink in port.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

Quoteblu4u
Good Friday and Passover. High holy day and business holiday. Spend the day with your loved ones. Take a walk. Sit on beach. Cook a meal with friends. Play cards with your kids. Live. love, enjoy, appreciate. You can shop tomorrow.

I do all that frequently except substitute playing cards with kids with playing catch with my furry kids! i was planning on spending the day walking around town, doing some shopping with my mother--I hardly ever shop or go to Christiansted during the day and we had scheduled that for today. Now I'm going to have to drive all the way back there tomorrow. Just wish I had known so I could have scheduled things better. I'm normally a very laid back person, and rarely have a problem with the island's quirks. Today just got my goat. Oh well.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

Growing up in STT --- every Sunday was a total retail holiday for most of my younger years - sometimes a Russian Cruise ship - with Hammer and Sickle on the smokestack would arrive at WI dock on a Sun. - the passengers would come downtown and Main St. would be shuttered tight - they would peer in the little windows at the goods for sale but only the Magazine Store on Back St. at Raadets Gade was open on Sunday - over the intervening years Main St. and Havensite have opened - sometimes for limited hours, on every Sunday that a ship is in - customs, store owners, morals, and times have changed - closing for a Good Friday Observance should not be denigrated or even criticized- it is the right of every store owner - and demonstrates a simple devotion to a higher power.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

I too am old enough to remember stores being closed on Sunday. In the south there were even laws requiring closure. Some stores still do, Chik-fil-a(sp) and Hobby Lobby come to mind immediately. I have to give them credit.

Re: Christiansted businesses....

I, too, have a visitor on island. We went to Christiansted and played tourist. I know most of the shop owners and we spent money with the ones that are open. For those that closed, I wouldn't criticize. Its their choice. While I'm not going to turn this thread into a religious discussion, just remember that you don't have to go to a church service to observe a religious holiday. The same thing can be accomplished fellowshipping with friends & family on the beach. Regarding the distilled alcohol prohibition, I too had forgotten about that. Took our friend to Rumrunners for a drink & were politely refused. No hard feelings; we went home and I made rum punch. Went out later. Hope everyone is having a great Easter weekend however you choose to celebrate it!

Re: Christiansted businesses....

the stores could open but no one buying. probably would cost them more to open (WAPA and pay staff ) then they would make in a day. i know i work in retail. we were closed yesterday and i think a good business move. dive shops and rest. make money any time on t-shirts sales etc.

it is part of the culture to close on good friday. one day wont make or break anyone. gave my gas tank a day off too!!!

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